Chinese Badminton

Wow, in the Women's Team Semifinal Match now ongoing between Zhejiang and Jiangsu, He Bingjiao beat the newly-crowned Olympic champion, Chen Yufei, 21-17, 10-21, and 21-17 !

Well done, HBJ.

Watch the replay now https://www.zhuafan.tech/1563348

 

Rare to see CYF disputing the linecall so animatedly, remonstrating with the umpire despite leading 11-8 in the decider. Too bad, no Hawkeye arbitration, point given to HBJ, 11-9.

 

Thrilling, an intriguing match, both Amazons throwing everything at each other in an intense battle in G3.

Kudos to He Bingjiao who, despite a bad start in the decider trailing 0-6, was able to turn the tables on her determined opponent, Chen Yufei. Though the latter managed to level with G2, 21-10, by playing with more urgency and injection of pace but towards the end, to her chagrin, found the former come charging back with stubborn defence and well-timed attacks to emerge victorious.

Extraordinary, where did HBJ find her reserves of energy to fight her way to cross the finishing line first with gusto. Not only that , she later partnered Tang Jinghua for the 2nd WD match when the team score was 1-2 (Zhejiang winning the 1st WD and the 2nd WS as Han Qianxi beat Gao Fangjie) to win against Huang Yaqiong/Zheng Lan in two straight sets, 21-18 and 21-10.

Impressive, proof positive that HBJ's fitness condition, esp endurance, is no longer a major concern, her recent weight loss workout program is paying dividends.

I really have to tip my hat off to you, He Bingjiao. Way to go !

 

Finally, thanks to He Bingjiao's two-point contribution winning her WS1 and WD2 matches to force the deciding 5th tiebreaker, her team Jiangsu came out on top 3 wins to 2 losses when their WS3 Hui Xirui disposed of Zhejiang's Lu Xuezhou , 21-14 and 21-9.

 

The Women's Team Finalists are Jiangsu led by He Bingjiao, versus Hubei led by Wang Zhiyi.

The Gold Medal Women's Team Final Match is scheduled for tomorrow 143hrs local time.

The Bronze Medal Women's Team Match will start first at 0900hrs, between Zhejiang led by Chen Yufei versus Fujian led by Tang Ning.

 

I watched only a few matches and half of them haphazardly, I'm afraid I can't give you a good summary, that's why I posted only on the couple of matches I watched fully. Sorry about that.

 

Men's Team Final Gold Medal match now on live https://www.zhuafan.tech/59109

 

By the way, I just realized today during the Women's Team Gold Medal match that in this tournament, world rankings don't count or are not taken into account, so the teams can field anyone they like in any lineup, but the format is still Singles followed by Doubles in alternate order.

I actually mentioned this in a post some time before the commencement of the CNG.

 

In hindsight, apparently the Jiangsu Women's team in the gold medal match with Hubei made a strategic miscalculation in their lineup, firstly, by fielding He Bingjiao only for singles instead of both WD and WS as the coaches obviously and justifiably thought her previous rounds double duty would take a toll on her physicality, but, secondly, the mistake was placing HBJ in the tiebreaking 5th WS3 instead of either WS1 or WS2 match while, thirdly, hoping for either Gao Fangjie or Hui Xirui in WS1 or WS2 to win a point if not facing Wang Zhiyi, and then, fourthly, take another equalizing point in either WD matches for the pair that's not facing Li Yinhui/Du Yue, and, finally, for He Jingjiao in the deciding tiebreaking 5th WS match to deliver and lift the crown as Wang Zhiyi is unlikely to be fielded in the WS3.

Unfortunately, the gamble didn't pay off for Jiangsu as I believe they hadn't bargained for Gao Fangjie to lose to Dai Wang albeit in a hard-fought three-setter, 21-19, 19-21, 18-21.

Hui Xirui in WS2 did well to upset Wang Zhiyi narrowly in G1, 22-20, but couldn't hold out against the better player WZY the next two sets , going down tamely, 21-9 and 21-14. That's more or less to be expected as the lesser player despite taking the opening game to enjoy a definite but not decisive advantage would in most cases go on to lose a three-setter to the superior player.

Remember, even Momota once said he was quite confident of his ability to come back to win the next two sets after dropping the first set, something he's proven time and time again with few exceptions.

It also makes me wonder, had Jiangsu taken another bet by fielding the same lineup as in their semifinal clash with Zhejiang by once again having HBJ do double duty in WS1 and WD2 for the Final Gold Medal matchup, would the result be another big surprise victory for Jiangsu against Hubei with HBJ playing the heroine for the second time.

 

Thanks. Unfortunately, and disappointingly as well, Li Guipu until today - it's been almost four years already since his back injury, not to mention his junior days rivalry with Shi Yuqi - has yet to live up to his promise as a World Junior Champ in 2014.

At age 24 now, he's not young anymore, if he fails to make any headway soon, esp in the international arena, there's a question mark over his future.